1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a taping device. More specifically, the present invention relates to a taping device by which a worker carries out taping work for a shielding wire on a table.
2. Background and Material Information
In general, wire harnesses and sub-assemblies which make up the wire harness are electric wiring systems which constitute fixed electric circuits bundling a number of wires. Taping work is often required in order to unify the bundled electric wires and for the purpose of insulation and the like. Up until now, various taping devices have been developed in order to facilitate such taping work.
For example, in Japanese Patent Publication (Unexamined) No. HEI 7-61415, a taping head and a taping device are disclosed. A taping head forms a U-shaped opening on an almost disc type rotational member which is driven by a rotational drive source, such as a motor. The taping device has a tape holder installed on the taping head. According to the prior art taping device, when adhesive tape, held in the tape holder, is wrapped around the electric wire, which was inserted in the U-shaped opening, and adhered and wrapped around the electric wire, a worker manually moved the tape head along the longitudinal direction of the electric wire by holding a handle which included the case of the rotational drive source.
Other taping devices, such as disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication (Unexamined) Nos. HEI 6-183413 and SHO 59-224013 are equipped with a movement mechanism. The movement mechanism contains a rotational member and is able to be moved in both directions at least along one axis. The movement mechanisms are constituted so that taping work can be automatically carried out by moving the taping head with the movement mechanism against an electric wire which is previously wired or fixed on a working table. Moreover, a taping device, such as that disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication (Unexamined) No. SHO 59-224013, discloses a construction in which a cutter cutting a tape after winding is driven by an air cylinder.
Any of the above-mentioned taping devices is suitable for taping long electric wire bundles. However, each of the prior art taping devices is not suitable for taping relatively short electric wires.
In particular, taping devices which require manual movement of the taping head such as the taping device disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication (Unexamined) No. HEI 7-61415 are inferior because the work must be carried out while one hand of the operator is occupied holding a shielding wire. Because the shielding wire is obtained by covering a number of covered wires with a ground wire further covering the ground wire with a sheath, the essential part of taping the shielded wire occurs when the ground wire, the covered wire and the like are separate pieces, it is extremely difficult to carry out taping with one hand.
On the other hand, in taping devices, such as those disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication (Unexamined) Nos. HEI 6-183413 and SHO 59-224013, because the electric wire is previously fastened, the winding of the tape can be easily carried out. However, the fixation and removal of the electric wire is often required in the case of short electric wires. The fixation and removal work of the electric wire is difficult and as a result, there is a problem that the ability to work is inferior.